DHC6 Twin Otter Antarctic Survey
The Twin Otters are extremely versatile and can be modified to allow airborne surveying and other scientific equipment to be fitted. Remote sensors fitted to the aircraft provide scientists with data on land, ice and sea. Radar can decipher features under the ice or layers within the ice itself. Longer-term monitoring from the air can be used to record the break-up of ice sheets or atmospheric changes.
Two of the four BAS Twin Otters are equipped with a full remote sensing capability. This includes a dual magnetometer – instruments used to measure the strength and direction of a magnetic field, which help detect different rock types.
Other instruments include a radio echo sounder which is used to bounce radio waves through ice to determine its thickness. There are also sensors to detect the colour of the ocean – for assessing the amount of plankton – and several different types of cameras employed for mapping or for counting the populations of birds, penguins or seals.
This one has skis fitted to the landing gear.
DHC6 Twin Otter Antarctic Survey
The Twin Otters are extremely versatile and can be modified to allow airborne surveying and other scientific equipment to be fitted. Remote sensors fitted to the aircraft provide scientists with data on land, ice and sea. Radar can decipher features under the ice or layers within the ice itself. Longer-term monitoring from the air can be used to record the break-up of ice sheets or atmospheric changes.
Two of the four BAS Twin Otters are equipped with a full remote sensing capability. This includes a dual magnetometer – instruments used to measure the strength and direction of a magnetic field, which help detect different rock types.
Other instruments include a radio echo sounder which is used to bounce radio waves through ice to determine its thickness. There are also sensors to detect the colour of the ocean – for assessing the amount of plankton – and several different types of cameras employed for mapping or for counting the populations of birds, penguins or seals.
This one has skis fitted to the landing gear.